Recording and/or reproducing apparatus are well known, and such apparatus has heretofore been known which has the capability of reading and/or writing magnetic signals on interchangeable flexible disks.
While such flexible disks have been known which are loosely contained in a flexible cartridge or envelope (as shown and described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,102), it is also known that such disks may be contained in a rigid cartridge (such as shown and described, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,157). The use of a rigid cartridge has now become commonly utilized with 31/2 inch diameter diskettes, and the handling device and method of this invention is designed for use with rigid cartridges.
The rigid envelope, or casing, of such a cartridge normally has a central aperture through which the central core disk at the central aperture of the diskette is engageable for rotational drive of the diskette, and there is also a head access slot through the cartridge near one end portion so that a recording head (or heads) can interact with the surface of the diskette.
The disk access slot is normally closed by a slidable cover which must be moved in a direction normal to direction of inserting movement of the cartridge, before or during loading of the cartridge, to provide head access to the diskette within the cartridge through the head access slot. In addition, a notch is also normally provided at the edge of the cartridge casing having the shutter mounted thereat, and full cartridge insertion is precluded unless the notch is exposed by moving the shutter to the open position to allow a portion of the device to be received in the depression at full insertion of the cartridge.
When a diskette is loaded into the diskette drive mechanism, the slidable cover must therefore be moved to the open position for accessing the diskette, and the cartridge must be precisely positioned to allow the recording/reproducing head (or heads) to contact the diskette at the proper predetermined position through the access slot in the cartridge.
Actuators for lifting and then lowering a recording head for use with floppy disks are well known, and examples of such actuators may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,040,106 and 4,193,102.
In addition, devices are known for handling loading and unloading of rigid cartridges, and examples of such devices are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,157. In the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,157, a pressure member, with compression springs depending therefrom, is utilized above the cartridge to force the cartridge downwardly against positioning pins for positioning the cartridge, and projections are utilized at the rear of the cartridge space to prevent erroneous cartridge positioning. While not shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,157, such devices have heretofore normally included side panels, roller elements, and/or carrier pivot means for effecting positioning of the cartridge in loaded and unloaded positions.
Thus, while diskette handling devices and methods are now known and/or utilized, further improvements thereto are still felt warranted, including reducing manufacturing expense and/or improving the loading/unloading arrangment.